


Silence and Circumspection

by IWriteLikeImRunningOutOfTime



Category: Hamilton - Miranda
Genre: Aaron and Lafayette have a talk, Gen, not as cracky as it sounds, there's alcohol
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-30
Updated: 2017-06-30
Packaged: 2018-11-21 16:00:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,018
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11360775
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IWriteLikeImRunningOutOfTime/pseuds/IWriteLikeImRunningOutOfTime
Summary: When Aaron walked into Jefferson’s office to go over the proposed federal budget and their position on it (because they were a team regardless of what Hamilton said, that ignoramus), he expected to be greeted with the familiar sight of Jefferson sitting behind his desk, wearing a suit with a tastefully colorful tie, a superior look on his face.He instead was met with the sight of Thomas Jefferson genuinely laughing, the Marquis of Lafayette sitting across from him and laughing with him.ORAaron and Lafayette have a talk.





	Silence and Circumspection

**Author's Note:**

  * For [thelittlelion](https://archiveofourown.org/users/thelittlelion/gifts).



> Another exchange done! This was an interesting challenge since I haven't written these characters before but I really got into Burr. We may be more alike than previously believed. 
> 
> Anyway, enjoy!

Aaron considered himself a man of self-control, above making a spectacle of himself unlike some people he knew (and if the image of an uncouth Alexander Hamilton came to mind, well, no one had to know but him). He was a widowed man, his dear Theodosia passing from cancer, leaving only their daughter as the sole focus of Aaron’s love and life. The younger Theodosia, as beautiful and as smart as her namesake, encouraged her father to come out of his proverbial shell, make friends with other adults his age.

Shacking up with Thomas Jefferson and James Madison was not what she had in mind when she made her suggestion to him. Nevertheless, Aaron was out and about, involved in the more pressing matters in politics, now a Senator for New York, so Theodosia didn’t have much to chide her father about.

So, when Aaron walked into Jefferson’s office to go over the proposed federal budget and their position on it (because they were a _team_ regardless of what Hamilton said, that ignoramus), he expected to be greeted with the familiar sight of Jefferson sitting behind his desk, wearing a suit with a tastefully colorful tie, a superior look on his face.

He instead was met with the sight of Thomas Jefferson genuinely laughing, the Marquis of Lafayette sitting across from him and laughing with him. It had been many years since Aaron had last seen the Marquis. They had never been particularly close, the Marquis choosing to surround himself with ruffians like Laurens, Mulligan, and Hamilton.   

Lafayette had not aged, still looking as though Aaron had just walked into the bar, Hamilton in tow for the first time. Though their lives had all gone in different directions since they finished college, Aaron had never felt any regret or sorrow for losing his ‘friends’ once Hamilton decided that they were all better off without Aaron.

But seeing Lafayette, laughing . . .

Thomas noticed him. “Ah, Burr, come in, come in. I’m sure you remember the Marquis? We spent a few years in France, you know, and Lafayette decided to visit me.”

Lafayette stood up, straightening his designer suit as he did so, and extended his arm for a handshake. “ _Bonjour_ , _Monsieur_ Burr, it is very nice to see you again.”

Aaron grasped Lafayette’s hand and plastered on a smile. “Pleasure to see you too, Lafayette. It has been a while since we last met.”

“Last I heard, you were seeking someone. Did you make her an honest woman, _mon ami_?”

Aaron felt his smile drop. “I did. And then she died.”

Lafayette winced. “Oh, forgive me. I did not mean to offend.”

Aaron dropped his hand. “No, you didn’t know. She’s been gone a few years now, but I have our daughter, so there’s that.”

“Yes, Lafayette, no hard feelings,” Thomas said, standing up and wiping away imaginary lint from his suit— _that pretentious_ —and walking between him and Lafayette. Thomas clapped his hand against Lafayette’s shoulder and turned to Aaron. “Why did you drop by today, Burr?”

Aaron fought the urge to narrow his eyes, though there was nothing to be done about the prickly feeling building underneath his skin. “The budget proposal? Have you had a chance to look over it?”

Thomas rolled his eyes and Aaron felt the irrational urge to poke his eyes. “There’s time to review it later. I have more pressing matters to attend to,” he said, his eyes on Lafayette.

Aaron forced himself not to grit his teeth in frustration. On days like this, he often felt as if he had traded one arrogant bastard for another. Taking steady, calming breaths, Aaron forces a thin smile on his face. “Of course. Do give me a call when you’re free then. Good day to you both.” He gave each a them a nod and left the office, refusing to look back, and telling the voice in his head that sounded suspiciously like Hamilton to shut up.

 

*

Aaron honestly did not know how he ended up at a bar with Lafayette. When he had received a text from him, he had been confused. He had changed his number since college, how could Lafayette had gotten his phone number?

“I stole it from Thomas’s phone,” Lafayette said with a careless shrug.

Aaron felt himself blink. “You . . . stole it from his phone.”

“ _Oui_.”

“Do you have a death wish?” Aaron asked. “If Jefferson finds out, he is going to murder you.”

Lafayette laughed. “Thomas’s bite is worse than his bark.”

Aaron gave him a confused look. “I think you mean his bark is worse than his bite.”

“Is that not what I just said?”

“Actually—you know what, never mind,” Aaron said, taking a sip of his beer. He placed it down carefully, making sure to place it exactly where it had been previously, and then looked at Lafayette.

He was a conundrum; wealthy, yet willingly slummed it with the poor; well-educated, but ignorant of basic things; he would friendly-tease Burr, yet do nothing to stop Hamilton and his lapdogs.

“I have missed you, _mon ami_. Your silence and circumspection is truly to be commended,” Lafayette said, his fingers circling the rim of the pint glass.

“Oh? I was under the impression that you found me boring,” he said, his brain-to-mouth filter impaired by the alcohol. If he were sober, he would have kept his mouth shut.

Lafayette blinked. “Boring? _Au contraire_ , I find your tenacity to be worthy of praise. Not many can say that they have met and stayed longer than five minutes in the presence of Alexander Hamilton, and lived to tell the tale.”

“Some harsh commentary on your friend there,” Aaron noted.

“It is because I find him a friend that I can say that,” Lafayette counters. “I admire him and the passion for which he has towards life but he is like a fire; he is pleasant to be around, but too much exposure and you may get burned.”

Aaron snorted into his beer; he was not wrong.  Looking at Lafayette, Aaron felt that he could come to truly like the Frenchman.


End file.
